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Brief Profile

Trinidadians are immigrants from the islands of Trinidad and Tobago and are one of the largest group of English-speaking West Indian immigrants in the USA. The ethnic composition of Trinidad and Tobago reflects a history of conquest and immigration, and as such, while natives of Tobago are predominantly of African descent, Trinidadians from Trinidad may be ethnically Asian Indian, African, European, Chinese or Arab.

The most popular Trinidadian music in the USA is calypso and soca (a derivation of calypso). These sounds are known for their fast beat, heavy percussion, and social expression. In their homeland, Trinidadians wear a variety of clothing suited for the tropics. In the United States, however, only people of Asian Indian descent have retained their unique cultural dress.

Carnival is perhaps the best known of Trinidadian holidays; it takes place from Friday through Tuesday before Ash Wednesday of the Lenten season. In the USA, Carnival is a method by which Trinidadian immigrants maintain their Afro-Caribbean heritage. The West Indian Day Carnival celebration, modeled after Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival, is one of the largest scheduled street events in New York. The festival features four nights of concerts, a steel band contest, children's pageants, and a lengthy procession. Its overall purpose is to promote unity among Caribbeans and Americans.

Trinidadians speak English with a wide variety of accents and innovations due to the impact of Spanish, French, Indian, and African languages. The styles of English range from standard British English, usually spoken in formal conversations, to the more common Trinidad English, which is a mixture of Spanish, French, British, and African. However, there is no sharp break between Trinidad English and standard English. The predominant religion among Trinidadians is either Roman Catholicism or Protestant Christianity.

Prayer Points

Pray that evangelical Trinidadians will take the gospel cross-culturally to unreached people groups.

Ask God to reveal to the Trinidadians the need for a personal living relationship with Jesus Christ.

"After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb."(Revelation 7:9, NIV)